Product Manual

4 Section 2 — important Safe operation practiceS
11. Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts. Keep
clear of discharge area at all times as the rotating spindle
and trimmer lines can cause injury.
12. Never operate the string trimmer without proper shields,
guards, control lever or other safety protective devices in
place and working.
13. Never operate the string trimmer with damaged safety
devices. Failure to do so, can result in personal injury.
14. Many injuries occur as a result of the string trimmer being
pulled over the foot during a fall caused by slipping or
tripping. Do not hold on to the string trimmer if you are
falling; release the handle immediately.
15. Never pull the string trimmer back toward you while you
are walking. If you must back the string trimmer away from
a wall or obstruction first look down and behind to avoid
tripping and then follow these steps:
a. Step back from string trimmer to fully extend your
arms.
b. Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.
c. Pull the string trimmer back slowly, no more than
half way toward you.
d. Repeat these steps as needed.
15. Do not operate the string trimmer while under the
influence of alcohol or drugs.
16. Do not engage the self-propelled mechanism on machines
so equipped while starting engine.
17. The control lever is a safety device. Never attempt to
bypass its operation. Doing so makes the safety device
inoperative and may result in personal injury through
contact with the rotating trimmer line. The control lever
must operate easily in both directions and automatically
return to the disengaged position when released.
18. Never operate the string trimmer in wet grass. Always
be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious
personal injury. If you feel you are losing your footing,
release the control lever immediately and the spindle will
stop rotating within three seconds.
19. Operate only in daylight or good artificial light. Walk, never
run.
20. Stop the spindle when crossing gravel drives, walks or
roads.
21. If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop
the engine and check immediately for the cause. Vibration
is generally a warning of trouble.
22. Shut the engine off and wait until the spindle comes to
a complete stop before cleaning the discharge area. The
spindle continues to rotate for a few seconds after the
control lever is released. Never place any part of the body
in the trimmer line area until you are sure the spindle has
stopped rotating.
23. Never operate string trimmer without proper trail shield,
discharge cover, control lever or other safety protective
devices in place and working. Never operate string trimmer
with damaged safety devices. Failure to do so can result in
personal injury.
24. Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do
not touch.
25. Only use parts and accessories made for this machine by
the manufacturer. Failure to do so can result in personal
injury.
26. When starting engine, pull cord slowly until resistance
is felt, then pull rapidly. Rapid retraction of starter cord
(kickback) will pull hand and arm toward engine faster than
you can let go. Broken bones, fractures, bruises or sprains
could result.
27. If situations occur which are not covered in this manual,
use care and good judgement. Contact Customer Support
for assistance or the name of the nearest service dealer.
Slope Operation
Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents, which
can result in severe injury. Operation on slopes requires extra
caution. If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not trim on it. For your
safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this manual to
measure slopes before operating this machine on a sloped or
hilly area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees, do not trim on it.
Do:
1. Trim across the face of slopes; never up and down. Exercise
extreme caution when changing direction on slopes.
2. Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps
which can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide
obstacles.
3. Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause
serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing your
balance, release the control lever immediately and the
spindle will stop rotating within three (3) seconds.
Do Not:
1. Do not trim near drop-offs, ditches or embankments, you
could lose your footing or balance.
2. Do not trim slopes greater than 15 degrees as shown on
the slope gauge.
3. Do not trim on wet grass. Unstable footing could cause
slipping.
Children
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the
presence of children. Children are often attracted to the string
trimmer and the trimming activity. They do not understand the
dangers. Never assume that children will remain where you last
saw them.
1. Keep children out of the trimming area and under watchful
care of a responsible adult other than the operator.
2. Be alert and turn string trimmer off if a child enters the
area.
3. Before and while moving backwards, look behind and
down for small children.